Elmo Franks, of Vienna, was born April 7, 1931, at Mountain View, Arkansas, a son of  Wilmerth and Viola (Wallace) Franks, and passed away peacefully at 1:00 p.m., on Sunday, September 2, 2018, at his residence near Vienna.  He had attained the age of 87 years, 4 months, and 25 days.

Elmo was first united in marriage in 1950 to the former Miss Virginia Wallace, and to this union, five children were born.  He was later united in marriage on October 24, 1981, at Mountain View, Arkansas, to the former Anna Bell (Williams) Thompson, and no children were born to this union.

He was a member of the Gaylor Baptist Church, Mountain View, Arkansas, where he had accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior and was baptized early in life.  Two of his favorite readings were the Twenty-Third Psalm and the Serenity Prayer.  Elmo especially enjoyed hunting, fishing, and watching western movies.

During his working life, he had been employed in timber work and as a wood cutter.  Elmo moved to Vienna in 1959 when the Cloud Oak Flooring Company, Mountain View, Arkansas, opened a mill south of Vienna on the Lloyd Terry farm where he worked for a number of years.  The remnants of the old mill can still be seen as you pass by on Highway 28.  Following his work there, he was employed as a Night Watchman for Patio Chef at the Wulff Charcoal Kilns, west of Vienna, until his retirement.

Those left to mourn the passing of Elmo include:  His devoted wife, Anna Bell, of the home near Vienna; his four surviving children, Dewayne, Lloyd, Ronnie, and Marilyn; his three step-children, Melvina, Shelia, and Buddy; eight grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; seven step-great-grandchildren; and many other relatives and friends.

Elmo was the last member of his immediate family and was preceded in death by one son, Larry; his parents; four brothers; one half-brother; two sisters; and two step-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions in memory of Mr. Elmo Franks are suggested per the wishes of the family with envelopes available at the graveside service or in care of the Birmingham-Martin Funeral Home, P.O. Box 250, Vienna, Missouri  65582.